MARKHAM, ON, July 10, 2019 /CNW/ - Following a two year-long pilot project, Cloud DX is excited to announce the purchase of several new Connected Health Kits by Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) to continue to provide remote monitoring for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
COPD is a common and treatable lung disease characterised by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. It encompasses conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Prevention measures include smoking cessation and avoiding second-hand smoke. A progressive and incurable disease, COPD requires close monitoring of symptoms to avoid ongoing visits to the Emergency Department and prolonged inpatient stays. COPD exacerbations can be debilitating, affecting health, quality of life, and costing the health care system $1.5 billion.
The Connected Health Kit is a remote monitoring technology designed to help COPD patients better manage and treat their COPD exacerbations – all from the comfort of their own home. The technology wirelessly measures patient vital signs, including oxygen saturation, blood pressure, heart rate, and weight. Results are monitored by the patient's care team through a clinician portal. Early warning signs allow patients and clinicians to address issues before the patient's health worsens.
The Connected Health Kit pilot project, which began at MSH in the spring of 2018, is the result of a collaboration between the hospital, the home care agency Closing the Gap Healthcare, Cloud DX and Women's College Hospital Institute for Heath System Solutions and Virtual Care. It has resulted in a number of positive results. Uptake of the tool during the enrollment in the program was positive. There was regular use of the kit. The program has also demonstrated some potential cost savings, as patients with COPD who are admitted may have shorter lengths of stay. As well, from a patient experience perspective, up to 83 per cent of patients enrolled in the pilot project said they would continue with it.
"Cloud DX is grateful for the support from the Ontario government, Markham Stouffville Hospital, Women's College Hospital and Closing the Gap for making the "Breathe Right at Home" project possible. We've learned tremendous lessons working with an amazing group of patients, clinicians and therapists, adding significant value to our Connected Health platform. We're excited to move forward with Markham Stouffville Hospital on the next phase of the journey, with the intention of providing our award-winning Connected Health devices, applications and services to a larger and more diverse group of patients," says Robert Kaul, CEO, Founder & President, Cloud DX.
"This Cloud DX project has improved patient and caregiver experience and has provided an opportunity for the hospital to develop effective approaches to remote monitoring in order to provide care beyond our walls. Developing digital services that are patient-centered and sustainable is a long-term goal for the health system and core to the Ontario Health Team strategy, and this evaluation shows the importance of partnerships in reaching this goal," says Elena Pacheco, Vice President of Support Services & Transformation at MSH.
"Closing the Gap Healthcare would like to thank all of our health innovation team partners, MSH, WIHV and Cloud DX for their contributions to the project over the past two years. We would also like to acknowledge the Ontario Centres of Excellence and the Ministry of Health for providing the pilot project funding to test our self-management model for COPD in the community. Closing the Gap Healthcare believes that it is our duty as community healthcare providers to empower our patients with the skills and resources necessary to keep them living well and at home," says Leighton McDonald, President & CEO, Closing the Gap Healthcare.
"Through this project, a clinical service for remote monitoring was developed, implemented, and evaluated rigorously. It aligned the vendor, providers, administrators, patient, caregivers, and evaluators to identify areas where Cloud DX could provide value. This service is likely to improve patient and caregiver experience and will provide an opportunity for the hospital to develop effective approaches to remote monitoring in order to strengthen home and community care. This evaluation shows that we have the tools to learn quickly and in close partnership with patients, providers, payers, and vendors," says Dr. Onil Bhattacaryya, Evaluation Lead, WIHV.
The Connected Health Kit technology is one of 15 projects that have received funding from the Ministry of Health, administered by the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).
"Positive outcomes, such as improvements in both the patient and caregiver experience through the use of remote monitoring, is the goal of every healthcare technology solution," says Dr. Claudia Krywiak, Interim President and CEO, OCE. "OCE is proud to work with the Ministry of Health through this collaboration that will lead to better care for patients at Markham Stouffville Hospital."
Cloud DX is currently working with a number of other Ontario-based hospitals to further demonstrate the Connected Health Kit for COPD and explore opportunities to scale the technology to support managing better patient outcomes with other conditions.
About the Organizations
Closing the Gap Healthcare (CTG)
Closing the Gap Healthcare is a fully accredited organization that provides community and clinic-based nursing, support, and rehabilitation services. With nearly 2,000 staff members, we provide compassionate, high quality care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Their range of professional and support services are available to all age groups across Ontario and Nova Scotia, whenever and wherever they are needed – in homes, schools, workplaces, long-term care homes, hospitals, and clinics.
Cloud DX
Cloud DX provides remote patient monitoring hardware, software and personalized services to forward-looking physicians, hospitals and Provincial/Territorial health departments across Canada. The Cloud DX Connected Health products are invented and developed in Kitchener ON and Team Cloud DX won the Bold Epic Innovator Award in the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE. Cloud DX is endorsed by Joule, a Canadian Medical Association company; it is the recipient of multiple awards for innovation including "World Changing Idea" from Fast Company magazine.
Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH)
Markham Stouffville Hospital is a leading community hospital with 329 beds. The hospital provides diagnostic and emergency services and delivers clinical programs in acute care medicine and surgery, addictions and mental health, and childbirth and children's services. Our Markham and Uxbridge sites and the Reactivation Care Centre (RCC) provide high quality, patient-centred, care to over 412,000 patients each year. Partnering with other specialist providers, the hospital's 500 physicians, 23 midwives, over 2,300 staff and nearly 1,300 volunteers make it the centre of community care for the residents of the City of Markham, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and the Township of Uxbridge.
About Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc.
OCE drives the creation of high-quality jobs by accelerating the commercialization of cutting-edge research across key market sectors to build and develop the economy of tomorrow and secure Ontario's global competitiveness. In doing this, OCE fosters the training and development of the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs and is a key partner with Ontario's industry, universities, colleges, research hospitals, investors and governments. A champion of leading-edge technologies, best practices and research, OCE invests in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, digital media and information communications, advanced health, cleantech, automotive and ag-tech to drive economic growth and foster made-in-Ontario solutions.
Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV)
WCH Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV) was created to find new ways of transforming the way that patients experience their care, support better long-term health outcomes and lower the cost of managing chronic illness in the system.
Whether it's evaluating an app that allows patients with chronic kidney disease to order supplies and manage dialysis at home or a telemedicine intervention that connects people in remote parts of the country with their doctor, WIHV is a living laboratory for health system solutions in Ontario and beyond.
SOURCE Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc.
Media Contact: Andrew Robertson, Manager, Media Relations, t: 647-456-5553, [email protected]
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